Frome left: President of the British Virgin Islands Athletics Association Steve Augustine, President of the British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee Ephraim E. Penn, Virgin Islands Commonwealth Games gold medalist Adaejah T. Hodge, Minister for Education, Youth Affairs, and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), and Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), at the recognition ceremony on August 11, 2026. Photo: BVIAA/ Facebook

Virgin Islands olympic gold medalist Adaejah T. Hodge at the victory lap motorcade which took place on Tuesday August 11, 2026. Photo: BVIAA/ Facebook

Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has used the Commonwealth Games Recognition Ceremony to call on the Virgin Islands public to stop politicizing support for athletes and to rally behind sprint star Adaejah T. Hodge as a “national treasure” and blueprint for excellence. Photo: Youtube

Scenes from the official recognition event held at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park following a motorcade in honour of the Territory’s Commonwealth Games heroes. Photo: BVIAA/ Facebook

2026 Commonwealth gold medallist in the women's 200m, Adaejah T. Hodge is greeted by Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4), left, and Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL), right. Photo: BVIAA/Facebook

Scenes from the official recognition event held at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park following a motorcade in honour of the Territory’s Commonwealth Games heroes. Photo: BVIAA/ Facebook

Representative of District Six and Opposition member Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) Presented the District six keys to Virgin Islands olympic gold medalist Adaejah T. Hodge. Photo: BVIAA/ Facebook

 “She belongs to all of us”

Speaking at the official recognition event held at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following a motorcade in honour of the Territory’s Commonwealth Games heroes, Wheatley stressed that athletes represent the entire nation, not one party or faction.

“And let me say this to all the people out there in the Virgin Islands public: There’s something that we have to stop doing here in the Virgin Islands. We have to stop politicising support for our athletes,” the Premier said. 

He described Hodge as the Territory’s emerald green hills, its water, and even its financial services industry. “If we had oil, she would be like our oil. She is our national treasure. She belongs to all of us,” Premier Wheatley said, adding that Hodge “doesn’t belong to one political party or the other” but to the entire Virgin Islands. 

The Premier called for unity around all athletes, saying everyone must “do their part” to ensure they achieve great success. 

Hodge’s discipline & humility highlighted

While praising the community’s role, Wheatley also focused on Hodge’s personal drive, noting that external support alone is not enough without self-investment. 

“You can have everyone around you investing in you. But if you don’t invest in yourself, if when they tell you to get up early in the morning, you say, ‘Mommy, no, I’m not getting up. It’s too hard… you will never reach your full potential,” he said. 

He commended Hodge’s work ethic, discipline, and respect for coaches, parents, and teachers, presenting her as a role model for young people across the Territory. 

“I don’t care if you’re younger. I don’t care if you’re older. You want to know what it means to be globally successful? Look at Adaejah T. Hodge as a blueprint,” Wheatley said. “She is a blueprint for all of us—what it means to be excellent in our field and excellent in our areas.” 

Historic Commonwealth gold

Hodge made history at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games by becoming the first female athlete from the Virgin Islands to win a Commonwealth gold medal in athletics, capturing the women’s 200m title in 22.07 seconds on July 31. 

She had already set a new Commonwealth Games record in the 200m semi-finals the day before, running 22.01 seconds. 

Her victory marked the Territory’s first-ever gold in the women’s 200m and added to a growing reputation for VI sprinting on the global stage. 

Hodge is also an NCAA champion in the 200m indoors and outdoors in 2026 and has previously competed at the World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games. 

Recognition ceremony and motorcade

The recognition ceremony on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, followed a motorcade that paraded Hodge and other Commonwealth Games athletes through Tortola, beginning behind the Central Administration Complex and ending at the Pier Park for a fan meet-and-greet. 

The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs & Sports, the BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC), and the BVI Athletics Association (BVIAA) after an earlier postponement from the originally scheduled date. 

Organisers and government officials used the occasion to thank the athletes for representing the Territory and to encourage continued public and private support for sports development.

Also at the recognition ceremony, Sixth District Representative and Opposition Member Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) presented Hodge with the key to District Six on behalf of its residents.